James a



(No Model.) J A LYON GAS DETECTOR FOR MINES.

No. 325,615. Patented Sept. 1. 1885.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQZE.

JAMES A. LYON, OF \VASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-DETECTOR FOR MINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.325,615, dated September 1, 1885.

Application filed February 3, 1885.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. LYON, of Washington, in the county of \Vashington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Gas -Detector for Mines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved device for automatically sounding an alarm when explosive gassuch as coal-gas, natural gas, or fire-dampaccumulates at the place where the device is 10- catcd.

The invention consists of the combinations of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure I is a vertical sectional view of my improved gas-detector formines. Fig 2 is a vertical sectional view ofa modification. Fig. 3 is aside view of the mechanical alarm mech anism.

An oil-lamp, A, or gas -burner, .13, is secured in the bottom of a wire netting cylinder, casing, or box, G. The said cylinder'is provided at its upper end with diametricallyopposite outwardly-projecting pins D, which project into eyes E, formed near the lower ends of pivoted angular levers F.

The upper ends of the levers F carry electric contacts a I), connected with wires 0 d,- connectcd with an electric battery. The lower ends of the levers F are united by a cord, G, or a highly-fusible wire.

A spring, H, secured to the upper ends of the levers, pulls them toward each other and the lower ends from each other. The said spring may be arranged at the pivot, or in any other suitable manner.

The cylinder A is held above a vessel, J, containing water. The gas, fire-damp, &c., passes through the meshes of the netting into the cylinder A, and is ignited and burns the cord G or melts the highly-fusible wire, thus (No model.)

permitting the spring H to pull the lower ends of the levers F from each other.

The pins D are pulled out of the eyes E, and the lamp drops into the water in the vessel J and is extinguished. At the same time the contacts a b are brought together, the current is closed, and an. electric bell in the circuit is sounded. The remaining gas does not explode, as only the gas in the cylinder A is burned.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 one contact, a, is fixed, and the other, I), is secured to a lever, -K, pivoted at the top of the cylinder. That end of the lever 011 which the contact b is secured is held raised by the cord or fusible wire G, which holds down the other end. \Vhen the said cord or wire burns or melts, it releases the lever K, which drops, closes the circuit, and sounds the alarm.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the upper ends of the levers F are held in a collar or ring, L, suspended by a stirrup, M,

hung on one end of a pivoted lever, M, the

other end of which engages with a ratchetwhecl, N, provided with a drum, 0, on which acord, P, is wound, from which a weight, Q, is suspended. A spring-hammer, 1%, adapted to strike a gong, S, has a projection or tooth, T, on which the teeth of the ratehctwheel N can act.

A wire or cord prevents the lower ends of the lever F from spreading and the upper ends from moving toward each other. \Vhen the cord or wire is ruptured, molten, or burned, the lower ends of the levers can swing from each other, and the upper ends can swing to gcther and drop through the ring L. The lever M, relieved of its weight, releases the wheel N, in turn operating the hammer.

The above-described apparatus may also be used in cellars, &c.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gas and fire-damp detector, the combination, with a wire-netting casing containing a lamp or burner, of the bent levers 1 pivoted together and supporting the oaspins D, projecting from the sides of the wire- 10 ing, of the fusible wire or cord G, uniting the netting casing at the top, and the cord or lower ends of levers F, and of the spring fusible wire G, uniting the lower ends of the H, substantially as herein shown and delevers F, substantially as herein shown and 5 scribed. described.

2. In a gas and fire-damp detector, the JAMES A. LYON. eo1nbination,with a wire-netting easing eon- \Vitnesses: taining a lamp or burner, of the pivoted angu- JOHN L. GOW,

lar levers F, having eyes or rings E, the I. Y. HAMIL'JON. 

